Queso Critique: Barriba Cantina

In the middle of July, Amanda and I decided that a mini-vacation was in order. San Antonio was the perfect location – far enough to feel like we were truly “getting away,” but not so far that we’d have to take time off work. We met Amanda’s sister, Katrina, in downtown San Antonio for a weekend of sun and fun.

On our last night there, the three of us got dressed up and took a scenic stroll along the riverwalk, in search of delicious foodstuffs. Eventually (and with the help of the internet), we stumbled upon Barriba Cantina. The outdoor patio had a beautiful view of the river, but we elected to sit inside and enjoy the live band.

The music was loud and the atmosphere energetic. We were ready for cheese.

The menu offered two different types of queso – a choice that has been challenging and emotional every time. I mean, it’s like choosing between your children. We cheerfully opted for the Queso Deluxe, mainly because it came with all the major food groups piled into one bowl – 1. cheese, 2. chorizo and 3. vegetables (guacamole and pico de gallo). The only missing food group was bacon.

(That’s how the food pyramid works, right?)

This queso was about as delicious as it gets. Even Katrina, who maybe doesn’t obsess over queso quite as much as Amanda and I do, loved it. The flavors of the chorizo and spices were amazing, yet somehow didn’t diminish the sheer cheesiness of the dish. With all those ingredients squished into one container, we all expected the consistency to eventually get too thick, but it was pretty much perfect; even after cooling, we could still scoop it up without breaking any chips. We happily and enthusiastically gave the Queso Deluxe a 9 (Revised: 4).